Community & Law Enforcement Partners

Bicycle Team

The Norman Police Departments use of bicycles allows patrol officers a unique transportation option that provides many benefits to the officers and our community. Due to their mobility a bike officer can patrol a much more diverse area than a standard vehicle while offering speed and equipment options not available with foot patrols. Officers on bikes are often deployed to apartment complexes, parks, schools, and many areas where vehicles can not enter such as the river and lake trails, drainage systems, and Sutton Wilderness. In addition the bikes are perfectly suited to operate in crowded environments such as OU events, city festivals, downtown, and campus corner.

Officers on bikes allow for much more public interaction. By removing the metal barriers, noise, and speed of a vehicle and adding a non traditional uniform the officers are more frequently approached by citizens and children leading to many positive interactions. Officers also assist with providing bike safety instruction to members of the community through schools, Safety Town, and riding organizations. Positive community interactions such as these are a key element of the departments COP and crime prevention efforts. The team also works very closely with the OUPD bike team. While the teams are officially separate parts of their individual agencies they work together in nearly all aspects as if they were a single unit.

Team members are issued specialized uniforms and equipment to allow them to complete their jobs in a safe and efficient manner. The team uses mountain bikes that are specifically made for law enforcement use. The bikes are designed to allow for the added equipment, weight, duty belts, extended use, and rough terrain that a normal bike does not experience. In addition most of the bikes are outfitted with emergency lighting and sirens to allow officers complete their assignments much like a patrol vehicle. Officers on bike can complete every task that a vehicle based officer can do including traffic stops, calls for service, patrols, and in some cases even pursuits. The bikes only true limitation of a bike is its long range speed, an officers safety during poor weather, and the ability to safely transport persons in custody.

Team members receive bike related training to specialize their riding skills and adapt them to the hazards of completing police work in the biking environment.

The Norman Police Department Bike Team is under the command of Captain Shawn Hawkins.